Curriculum Vitae
D. Christopher Heckman
Managing Director and Assistant General Counsel
BERKELEY RESEARCH GROUP, LLC
2502 N. Rocky Point Drive, Suite 695 / Tampa, FL 33607
832-964-7600
checkman@thinkbrg.com
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
1991-2017 Exxon Mobil Corporation, Global HQ, Dallas, TX
Retired as General Counsel for EM Risk Management and Ancon Insurance Company, and Senior
Counsel for Exxon Mobil Corporation. Principal legal adviser on insurance procurement and claims
to the corporation and its affiliates worldwide. Managed and coordinated the settlement of some of
the largest insurance claims ever made including environmental, asbestos and products liability
claims.
1986-1991 Haight Gardner (nka Holland & Knight), NY, NY, Maritime and Insurance
Litigation and Arbitration
1983-1986 Hughes Thoreen & Sullivan, St. Cloud, MN, General Litigation
1978-1983 Hill Rivkins, NY, NY, Maritime and Insurance Litigation and Arbitration
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor Tulane University School of Law, New Orleans, LA 1978
B.A. St. John’s University, Collegeville, MN 1974
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Member TX, NY and American Bar Associations
Proctor Member Maritime Law Association of the United States
Bar Admissions TX, NY, MN and US S. Ct.
ARBITRATION EXPERIENCE
US: While practicing law in NY, handled over 100 cases where arbitration was demanded, the
majority of which went to a hearing.
International: Handled major London insurance coverage arbitration as general counsel to Ancon
Insurance Company. Lead counsel for consortium of insurers in largest litigated dispute in
Norwegian history, ultimately settling during a multi-day mediation.
2
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND PAPERS PRESENTED
March 7, 2017
Expanded Application of Oilfield Indemnity Acts and The
Potential Implications for Insurance Coverage
ERIC Conference
Dallas, TX
November 13, 2014
What Outside Counsel Should Know About In-House
Counsel
Texas Bar Insurance
Law Institute
Dallas, TX
March 8, 2014
Indemnity, AI and the BP Oil Spill
ABA Insurance
Coverage Litigation
Committee
Tucson, AZ
August, 2012
The Essentials of Marine/P&I Insurance
ExxonMobil CLE
Fairfax, VA
March 1, 2012
Lessons on Making Rain in the Desert: From the Movies to
Reality
ABA Insurance
Coverage Litigation
Committee
Tucson, AZ
January 24, 2012
The London Market and Solvent Schemes of Arrangement
- A Brief Pictorial History
HB Conferences
New York, NY
March 5, 2011
What Outside Counsel Should Know About In-House
Counsel
ABA Insurance
Coverage Litigation
Committee
Tucson, AZ
March 5, 2010
Thieves in the Night - The London Market and Solvent
Schemes of
Arrangement
ABA Insurance
Coverage Litigation
Committee
Tucson, AZ
October 15-16, 2009
Thieves in the Night - The London Market and Solvent
Schemes of Arrangement
Texas Bar Insurance
Law Institute
San Antonio, TX
March 7, 2009
Thieves in the Night – Solvent
Schemes of Arrangement
ABA Insurance
Coverage Litigation
Committee
Tucson, AZ
May 20, 2008
Thieves in the Night – Solvent
Schemes of Arrangement
MAPI Risk
Management Council
Coral Gables, FL
March 4, 2007
Self-Insured/Fronting Arrangements and Related Problems
and Issues Between Self-Insured Companies and Insurers
University of Houston
Law Center-
Advanced Insurance
and Tort Claims
Seminar
Houston, TX
December 6-8, 2006
Going Naked: Self Insurance,
Captives, and Fronting Arrangements
University of Texas
School of Law
Continuing Legal
Education - 11th
Annual Insurance Law
Institute
Austin, TX
3
December 6-8, 2005
The Bond With Your Broker - Shaken Not Stirred
Texas Bar Insurance
Law Institute
Austin, TX
March 31 -
April 1, 2005
What Every Insurance Lawyer Needs to Know and Moore
Texas Bar Advanced
Insurance Law Course
Dallas, TX
March 25, 2004
A Peek Behind the Underwriting Curtain - What Every
Lawyers Needs to Know
Texas Bar Advanced
Insurance Law Course
Dallas, TX
November 18, 2003
Ethics Session: Issues Raised in Mediation and Settlement
Negotiations
Mealey's Insurance
Allocation Conference
Naples, FL
June 12, 2003
Strategies That Work: How to Resolve Large, Complex
Insurance Claims in a Timely Manner
CLT Super
Conference
Chicago, IL
April 1, 2002
Insurance Coverage Panel
State Bar of Texas
Corporate Counsel
Section - 24th Annual
Corporate Counsel
Institute
Houston, TX
April 11, 2002
Insurance, Risk Management and ExxonMobil's
Philosophy
SMU Law School
Dallas, TX
February 15, 2002
Effective Settlement Advocacy in Environmental Insurance
Coverage Dispute
Chapter 9 to
"Environmental
Dispute Resolution",
ABA
N/A
January 24-25, 2002
Mock Negotiation of Allocation Issues
Mealey's Insurance
Allocation Conference
Miami, FL
January 11-12, 2001
Mock Negotiation of Allocation Issues
Mealey's Insurance
Allocation Conference
Pasadena, CA
January 13-14, 2000
Significant Allocation Decisions in Key States
Mealey's Insurance
Allocation Conference
Miami, FL
April 26, 1999
A Post-Crisis Checklist for the International Litigator
International Bar
Association and Rocky
Mountain Mineral Law
Foundation
Santa Fe, NM
